HOUSTON — MarQueis Gray has thought about the play numerous times throughout his career at Minnesota, but the memories have stormed back even stronger as the Golden Gophers prepare for another bowl game.

The last time Minnesota ventured into the postseason was in 2009, when it faced Iowa State in the Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. Gray was a freshman at the time, and with his team trailing, 14-13, with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, he went into the backfield to take a snap out of the wildcat formation.

But after running for two yards, Gray fumbled into the arms of Iowa State’s Ter’ran Benton at the Cyclones’ 17-yard line. A few minutes later, Iowa State was kneeling the ball on a one-point victory.

Gray was crushed.

“All the time,” Gray said when asked how often he thinks of the play. “Especially now that we’re in a bowl game again, I’ve been telling my teammates the last time we went to a bowl game that I was the reason we didn’t win that game.”

But the 6-foot-4, 250-pound Gray has helped Minnesota win a number of games since, having more than amended for his heartbreaking freshman mistake. He will enter Friday’s Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas against Texas Tech as the only quarterback in Minnesota history with five 100-yard rushing performances. He’s also played receiver, thrown and carried the ball out of the backfield and refilled the water coolers.

The last part may be a stretch, but not much of one, according to coaches and teammates.

“He’s so unselfish, so that kind of opens other people’s eyes when he plays,” said Minnesota running back Donnell Kirkwood. “You notice all the positions he plays, and if he’s not complaining, why should I in any situation? And he leads by example. He doesn’t have to say much at all. What he does on the field and how he acts, that makes him a leader with that itself.”

Gray was off to a strong start at quarterback for Minnesota this season before suffering an ankle and knee injury against Western Michigan in the third game of the season, forcing him to miss 2 1/2 games. When he returned to the lineup, he wasn’t yet able to cut at quarterback the way the position demands in Minnesota’s scheme. So Gray jumped out to receiver, where he has caught 12 passes for 121 yards.

All the while he has also served as a mentor to Minnesota’s true freshman quarterback Philip Nelson this season.

“I think the great thing about MarQueis is he’s gone through a lot of situations,” said Minnesota coach Jerry Kill, who took over the program before Gray’s junior season. “He was recruited as a quarterback. He practiced at quarterback and wide receiver the first two years, then we came in and he played quarterback. He’s married; he has two children; he’s responsible. You get a chance to talk with him and he’s just a great kid — he really is. As good of a football player as he is, he’s an even better person, so it’s been a joy to come in with our transition and be around MarQueis.”

Gray will be used all over the field on Friday, as a ball carrier, receiver and passer. The senior said he doesn’t care what role he has, as long as he gets the chance to create a better bowl ending for himself than he experienced during that night in the desert three years ago.

“That’s the chip I’m carrying on my shoulder in this game,” Gray said, “and hopefully I can make some plays to help us come out with the victory.”